The Competition

The Southern Matchplay Golf Championship – “The Race to Dona Filipa” – is a season-long knockout competition open to amateur club golfers across the South of England and South Wales.

Split into 2 regions (South East and South West) with just 128 places available in each region the competition offers 2 formats, Individual & pairs competitions offering entrants a fantastic opportunity to win through to The Grand Finals in Portugal where the overall winners will be crowned champions.

Open to Golfers in Southern England and South Wales the competition commences with a 36 hole home and away 1st round, before 18 hole knockout rounds determine the 4 Semi Finalists who will be invited to one of two regional playoff finals. The regional winners will move on to the San Lorenzo Golf Course in the Algarve, Portugal to compete in the expenses paid 54 hole round robin format.

Qualifying Rounds

Win a maximum of 5 qualifying rounds between June and October to be invited to the Regional playoff, with approximately four weeks to play each match.

The first round takes place on a ‘home and away’ basis over 36 holes, which means you are assured of at least one game away from your home course. A draw for home advantage takes place in subsequent rounds.

Early rounds are regionalised to minimise travelling distances, however, the further you progress the further you may need to travel if drawn away. You must win a maximum of just five matches to reach the Semi Final event.

Match Dates 2018

1st Round – 29th June – 3rd August ( 2 legs)

2nd Round – 5th August – 2nd September

3rd Round – 4th September – 2nd October

4th Round – 4th October – 4th November

Entrants

Entrants must be a member of a golf club within one of these counties; England – Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Middlesex, Norfolk, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Surrey, Sussex or Wiltshire. Wales – Carmarthenshire, Glamorgan,Monmouthshire, and Pembrokeshire.